


Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee

by sozmom



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, keith loves you shiro but hes not sharing his big gay feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 18:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7768318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sozmom/pseuds/sozmom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone except Lance. Keith imagined a man so invested in his skin care routine would have the same investment in his day to day life. But - as most Lance related things go - Keith was wrong. </p><p>In which Keith is a pining boy who just had to have a crush on Lance of all people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee

Everyone had a routine by now. Sure it wasn’t the most well kept routine considering the alien attacks they regularly faced but everyone still had their routine.

Everyone except Lance. Keith imagined a man so invested in his skin care routine would have the same investment in his day to day life. But - as most Lance related things go - Keith was wrong. 

From dawn until dinner time everyone’s schedule was the same: Wake Up, Breakfast, Warm Ups, Combat Training, Lunch, Team Bonding and/or Paladin Education Lessons, Brief Run Down On Where They’re Going Next, Dinner.

After that everyone spread out but everyone usually did the same thing every night if they didn’t have recently freed passengers on board.

Pidge and Hunk geeked out in the labs while Coran supervised, Allura and Shiro talked in the upper decks, mostly about battle strategies and what needed to be done while they traversed through space. Keith trained some more, he’d get antsy in the evenings otherwise. 

But Lance?

Lance fucking floated. There was no other way to put it. He drifted from one thing to the next, whether it was spending time in the labs with the dynamic duo or exploring the ship (or when Keith had asked - none of his damn business)

He didn’t do the same thing every night and it was infuriating. What if they were attacked and they needed him? His lack of routine could get them all killed.

Yeah Keith was mad because it was a safety issue totally not because Lance never seemed to float towards him.

  
**#**  


“Hunk and I are going to help some of the people we freed from that last attack you coming Lance?” Pidge asked over dinner.

“Why not, wasn’t planning on doing anything else this evening” Lance shrugged flashing one of his stupid smiles.

“Yeah just like every evening” Keith mumbled down into his goo.

“What’s that supposed to mean Mullet Man?” Lance shot at him. Keith knew he shouldn’t rise to the bait but it wasn’t in his nature to back down either.

“It means you never do anything useful with your free time!”

“My free time is spent usefully! I am the most usefullish person on this ship”

“Usefullish?”

“It’s a word! Right Pigde?”

“No Lance it’s not”

“Et Tu, Pidge?” He gasped,  grasping dramatically at his chest.

“Oh go blow a quiznak Lance” Pidge said, flicking some alien gloop in his direction.

“Oh you little twerp, you’re in for it” Lance started piling goop onto his spoon, taking aim at Pidge. He barely noticed Shiro come up behind him and grab the spoon from his hands.

“Knock it off Julius Ceasar” The elder teased, good naturally. Lance pouted in his seat like a child, it was made worse by Shiro ruffling his hair.

Keith thought he looked like a cute kid who’d gotten his toys taken away, with his hair all messy and his arms crossed indignantly.

Keith must have been staring because Lance turned to him with a scowl. “Stop glaring at me dude. So what would be a useful way to spend my evenings if not selflessly sacrificing my free time to cheer up our passengers?” He asked. Keith barely held back a snort.

“You could always work on your flying. It’s abysmal-” “Hey!” “- Or combat training, I mean you nearly took my arm off at practice today!” Keith complained. He was ready to get onto his next suggestion (something that would take a dig at Lances intelligence) but Lance interrupted him.

“Fine I’ll go combat training”

“R-really?” Keith asked suddenly suspicious.

“Yeah, you’re right training sounds like something usefullish” Lance agreed readily, like it was no big deal. Now Keith knew something was up.

“Besides if I’m using the training room it means you cant” He shrugged, smug smirk making its way on to his face.

“You bastard!” Keith screeched.

“Language” Shiro barked. 

Lance laughed, dodging an incoming blow from Keith.Hunk buried his face in his hands. Pidge just rolled her eyes 

 

**#**

 

Keith wasn’t sulking okay? He wasn’t.

It had been nearly two hours and Lance was still in the training room. Sure Keith usually spent longer in there but this was Lance, he should have given up by now.

Keith bets that if he goes down there now Lance won’t even be training - just lounging on the floor reading one of the dumb Atlean Romances he obtained when he found the ships library.

Keith can picture it. Him laid out casually, a book in hand. He’d probably have his jacket off - the training room was warm. He’d look like one of those people that hipsters take candid photos off. His hair was probably still adorably messy. And his cute nose would get scrunched up just before he laughed –

Keith shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts. He slumped down into his chair and cursed himself silently. Off all the people in the universe Keith could have a crush on it was Lance. Annoying, obnoxious, ridiculous Lance who was taking up the training room just to spite him.

What a fucking asshole.

Tired of waiting around Keith grabbed his jacket. Enough was enough. he’d physically throw Lance out of the training room if he had to. Dude didn’t look like he weighed much anyway. Keith could probably bench press him if he wanted to.

(He kinda wanted to)

 

 **#**  


  
  
Keith wasn’t prepared for what he walked in on.

Lance was in the training room - but he wasn’t reading.

Keith watched as Lance dodged another swipe from the training bot almost gracefully. He kept his shield up as he shot at the bot. Three full hits, one miss. Not bad for Lance.

He rolled away from the bot as it charged at him, another two full hits. The bot was slowing down.

Keith watched entranced as Lance dodged and shot and outwitted the bot until he wore it down enough to get the final blow.

The bots head flew from its body and landed at Keith’s feet.  
Lance shucked off his helmet, a triumphant grin on his sweaty face. His jacket was off but even then his damp t-shirt clung to him.

Keith …

Keith was so screwed right now.

“How’s that for usefullishness!” Lance said sauntering over to Keith.

Keith’s mouth was dry as he croaked out a “not bad”.

Lance’s grin got even bigger then. A mega watt smile that was absolutely killing Keith. He didn’t deserve this.

Of all the fucking people in the universe.

“I’m gonna hit the showers, have fun” Lance teased as he left.

Keith watched him go, feeling his cheeks heat up when he unconsciously flicked his gaze lower.

He was so screwed  


**#**  


Lance didn’t return to the training room again after that. Why would he? - he’d proven his point. That doesn’t mean Keith wasn’t disappointed that he didn’t get another chance to watch Lance in action.

It was purely because he wanted to get an idea of what techniques Lance used, not because he wanted to ogle a glistening and badass Lance.

Totally not.

So Lance continued floating in different directions, never towards him and Keith kept pining because Lance could barely even spend time without Keith with arguing with him.

Why couldn’t he have a crush on Hunk. Sure Hunk still wouldn’t feel anything towards him but the pining would hurt less.

Especially since Hunk wasn’t a massive horrible flirt like _someone._

They’d landed on a rocky populated planet. A quick stop to make sure it was free of Galra as they couldn’t make contact with the inhabitants.

As was the way of their lives now - half of the planet was enslaved by Galra meaning their quick stop turned into a week long battle to try and help rid the planet of its purple infestation that had taken hold of its government and half its people.

They formed an alliance with a rebellious force that had been trying to eradicate the Galra hold on the planet. It was led by Helter.

Fucking Helter as Keith mentally referred to him as.

Because when Helter wasn’t trying to overthrow the Galra controlled government he flirted with Lance.

A-fucking-lot.

And Lance didn’t stop him. No Lance encouraged him. Flirted backed, acted bashful and sweet and blushed so fucking much.

Keith wasn’t mad.

Keith was zen. Keith was in the zone. No pink haired, pokadotted, flirty alien guy could ruin his concentration during a mission.

Because this was a mission and the moment it was over the Paladins would be off this planet faster than he could say Zarkon. They’d never see Fucking Helter ever again.

Lance might be sad but he’d get over it. Plenty of other aliens for him to shamelessly flirt with in the universe.

He could shamelessly flirt with Keith if he wanted.

A voice at the back of Keith’s head said ‘he’d never want that’.

The voice sounded kinda like Helter’s.

Fucking Helter.  


**#**  


The final battle had been a victory in the best sense of the term. There had been minimal to no casualties on their front and Voltron had swooped in and landed the final kill on the Galra in charge of the entire operation.

When they safely returned the lions to the hanger a messenger arrived. His hair was a rich red colour that matched the pokadots that littered his body.

“Helter wishes you all to join him for festivities tonight to celebrate our freedom from the Galra” the messenger says.

“We can go right?” Lance asked Shiro, his eyes wide and pleading.

“I don’t see why not” Shiro said, giving the messenger a polite smile.

“Tell Helter we’ll be more than happy to join him”

“No!” Keith found himself blurting out before he could stop himself. Everyone turned to stare at him and he felt his cheeks heat up.

“What’s wrong man?” Hunk asked, looking concerned for Keith’s wellbeing. Keith wanted to protest and insist they leave right away but he knows he’d look unreasonable.

“Nevermind” He muttered. Shiro looked like he was going to say something but thought better of it.

“Let us change out of our armour and we’ll join you” He told the messenger. The messenger saluted him and left.

Keith can manage this for one night. Just one more.

He was zen.

Fucking Helter.  


**#  
**

The festivities were held around a bright silver fire outside what was previously the palace where the Galra operated from. There was music and food that the Paladins couldn’t really consume considering it was mostly made of rock but still the night was pleasant.

It was even more pleasant since Lance was sat right next to Keith detailing the battle to him again.

“I was there Lance”

“Yeah but did you see when –”

Keith didn’t miss the way Lance kept looking around for Helter but he decided to ignore it. Lance was with him right now and that’s all that mattered.

The night wore on and Keith started to relax next to Lance who was now telling him a small bit about his family at home. The fire was warm and the drinks that they’d tried were making him feel so zen.

Plus Lance looked pretty with the silver firelight reflecting off his face. Keith let himself stare at Lance’s features. He wasn’t really taking in what the other was saying more concentrated on his lips when he spoke.

If Keith were to lean in right now he’d be able to kiss Lance. The idea sent a jolt to his heart making it pulse faster. If he just leaned a little closer –

A shadow fell over them then. Keith looked up and what do you know..

“Helter” Lance exclaimed, grinning ear from ear.

..Fucking Helter.

“Hey Lance sorry I took so long to get to you. People kept stopping me to talk" He said holding out his hand for Lance. Lance gripped it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He stumbled a little and fell right into Helters arms.

Keith was calm.

"Whoa there hot stuff, accosting me so soon–”

Keith was cool, collected.

“So there will be accosting happening?” Lance asked, not even bothering to remove himself from Helter.

Keith was a gentle ocean, still and calm.

Helter brought his face close to Lances, closer than Keith’s had been a moment before. That moment seemed so far away now.

Keith was relaxed.

“I’m all yours” Helter gently murmured to Lance.

Keith was zen.

Lance closed the distance between him and Helter.

Keith was _destroyed._

Keith quickly clambered to his feet and stumbled away. He felt sick and dizzy and heartbroken.

If only he had leaned a little further. Just that small amount. It could be him instead of Helter.

He could be kissing Lance.

He found a secluded spot by the courtyard wall and took deep breaths.

He wasn’t going to cry. He wanted to but he wasn’t going to.

His heart physically hurt. It felt as if there was someone squeezing it painfully tight until he felt like he was going into cardiac arrest.

He shouldn’t cry.

He bent over and put his hand on his knees and tried to steady himself.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Don’t Cry.

Keep breathing.

A hand on his shoulder helped steady him. He didn’t realise he was toppling over.

“Hey Keith, keep breathing. That’s it - in, out, in, out- you’re doing good” Shiro said

Oh god no.

If there was anyone he’d not want to cry in front of it was Shiro.

He kept breathing.

He managed to get himself in working order again. His heart was still going crazy fast but he wasn’t going to cry.

“You wanna talk about it?” Shiro asked, concern lacing his tone.

“No” Keith coughed out,pushing off from the wall.

“I need to leave” He said taking off toward their ship leaving a confused and worried Shiro in the dust.

Fucking Helter.

Fucking Feelings.  


**#**  


Breakfast was late the next morning, everyone wasn’t in top notch condition after whatever they had been drinking last night.

Everyone, except Lance. Lance came in whistling with bite marks peaking out from his collar and wearing a shirt that most definitely wasn’t his.

“Good morning” He greeted the other Paladins cheerfully. Pigde groaned and threw a napkin at him.

“Shut up you fiend! or I will actually stab you Ceasar style”

“I can feel the love” He joked taking his seat next to Keith like he did every morning.

Keith refused to look up at him, all he’d see were the bite marks that so clearly said 'Helters - not Keiths’. He buried his throbbing head in his food and tried to ignore what was going on around him.

“Haven’t you felt the love enough, man?” Hunk snarked, barely moving his head from the table.

“This is too much noise already” Shiro complained as he shuffled in the door.

“Well if you’re all going to be like that I guess I’ll only share the hangover cure Helter gave me with Keith since he’s been perfectly amicable this morning” Lance said swinging an arm over Keith’s shoulder. Keith tensed at the touch but forced himself to relax.

He considered declining the cure purely on the fact that Helter gave it. Then a sharp jolt of pain swayed him into taking what looked like a rock.

Why wasn’t he surprised.

“Lance old buddy, old pal..” Pidge started. Lance let out an obnoxious laugh that made Keith wince.

His arm was still around Keith’s shoulder though.

Keith swallowed down the rock, grimacing at the taste but instantly feeling the pain ebb away.

“Thanks Lance” Keith muttered, quiet enough for only the blue paladin to hear. Lance turned to look at him, his shit eating grin softening into a genuine smile.

“No problem” He murmured back, unknowingly stealing the air from Keith’s lungs. Quick as it came Lance’s attention turned elsewhere and Keith could breathe again.

Lances arm however, stayed where it was until breakfast was over  


**#**  


Keith on the battlefield was unpredictable - a wild card. Keith off the battlefield was a creature of habit. So Keith noticed the fact that more and more his routine was being fucked with. Like a lot of Keith’s problems - it’s Lance’s fault.

It started the day Lance had caught him outside his bedroom door before he went to do his extra training.

“Keith just the man I was looking for” Lance said. Keith stopped and turned to him suspicious already.

Lance never floated towards him. Why’s he here now?

“Walk with me” He said walking past the red Paladin. Keith wanted to protest (just because) but he was curious to see where this was going.

He jogged up to Lance’s side and kept pace with him.

“What’s up?” Keith asked fiddling with his bayard.

“The sky, though technically we’re in space so I suppose space is up? It’s also down. And all around. The magic of space” Lance said, hands lazily shoved in his pockets as he strolled forward. Keith was going to respond but the words got caught in his throat.

“You know I didn’t always want to be a pilot” Lance confessed after a moment.

“You still aren’t” Keith teased. Lance clutched his heart and feigned being insulted at the suggestion. Keith couldn’t hold back the snort of laughter that escaped him.

“ _As I was saying_ I didn’t always want to be a pilot”

“Then what did you want to be?” Keith asked wondering where this conversation was going.

“I wanted to be an astronomer. My dad had a telescope when I was younger and he let me look into it when the sky was really clear” Lance said, a fondness in his voice. “He used to point out all the constellations but when I started making up my own he kept a log of them that he called 'The Great Discoveries of The Magical Astronomer Sir Lance’. I asked when I was older why he did it and he told me it was just because at the time it made sense to him” Lance said stopping to look over at Keith.

Keith halted and met Lance’s gaze. “Why are you telling me all this?” Keith asked confused but elated because Lance was staring at him, like he was looking for something.

Lance shrugged. “It just makes sense to me” He said before turning around. “Have fun training. I hope the bot wins” Lance said walking away from Keith.

Keith watched him go until Lance turned a corner and was gone.

He leaned against the door of the training room - he didn’t even notice they’d made it here.

His head was swimming with all things Lance. He let out a small sigh but couldn’t help the small warmth building in his chest.

Lance continues walking him to the training room for the next few weeks until he managed to get Keith so enveloped in their conversation that he barely noticed they’d taken two laps of the ship before he actually ended up at the training room.

Keith didn’t understand why Lance was doing this but he went along with it. It was an extra ten-thirty minutes with Lance every day where they learned more about each. There was an occasion where it took him a whole hour to get to the training room.

It was sweet, until the day Lance managed to keep him from ever reaching the training room happened.

“I knew I could make you spend your free time doing something useless” Lance grinned when Keith had pointed out that is too late for him to go training now.

“You planned this!?” Keith asked, anger boiling up in him. Was this all just a ruse. Something Lance was doing to be petty. They had bonded! Keith had told him stuff he’d never told anyone before.

“You train too much anyway, have a little fun once and a while” Lance smirked knocking his shoulder against Keith’s.

“Who said this was fun” Keith found himself snapping back. He couldn’t believe all this time Lance was just trying to prove a point.

“I thought it was” Lance said smile faltering a little.

“You .. I can not believe you” Keith said storming away from Lance before he broke something (preferably his nose) 

“I don’t get why you’re so upset!” Lance said chasing after him. Keith stopped and turned to face the taller boy.

“I’m upset because I thought we were friends but you’re just an asshole who thought it would be funny to fuck with me”

Then he takes a swing but it doesn’t connect with Lances jaw like he wants it to. Lance caught his wrist before his fist could do any damage. He’d be impressed if he wasn’t so fucking angry.

“I wasn’t trying to fuck with you!” Lance said through gritted teeth. “I was trying to be your friend”

Keith looks at Lance, trying to find a lie, something that was insincere.

There was nothing but honesty there. Lance slowly let go on Keith’s wrist. Keith pulled it towards him like he’d been burnt.

“You mean it?” He asked.

“100%” Lance replied without hesitation. 

“Okay”  Keith breathes. “Okay” The fight leaves him.

Lance gave him a look that Keith doesn’t understand. Then slowly and tentatively he raised a clenched hand.

“We cool?” He asked.

Keith raised his own fist.

“We’re cool”

They fist bumped.  


**#**  


It had been hard to just fall back into friendship after that but they managed.

Lance stopped walking him to the training room and just invited Keith to hang out with him instead of tricking him into it.

Keith hated himself he really did. Lance was offering friendship, a kind that Keith had never experienced before - best friendship. They were joined at the hip most days and to piss him off Lance had started to call them besties, bffs, biffles, best bros. And Keith –

Well Keith wanted to climb Lance like a tree.

He knew he was attracted to Lance. Had more than one intimate day dream about the guy but now that he’s always around it should have been easier.

It was worse. Way worse because now Keith had the time to stare Lance if he wanted. He got a million little Lance smiles a day. Lance was a touchy feely kind of guy who likes to drape himself all over people, Keith in particular. 

Because Keith doesn’t tell him no.

Because Keith loves it when Lance rests his head on his thighs or slings an arm over his shoulders or puts his feet up on his lap.

Because Keith loves Lance and Lance loves Keith just not in the same way.  


**#**  


It had been a long few days for Keith. Alien attacks, nearly dying several times, Lance nearly dying even more. All Keith wanted was to trash the training bot for a few hours until he’s sore and exhausted.

He goes at the bot again and again taking everything he’s got pent up inside out on it.

His sword strikes down on the bots left arm. It comes off and falls to the floor.

That’s the prisoners they couldn’t save.

He takes a jab at its stomach and it successfully lands.

That’s nearly losing the team for a hair brained decision he had no right to make.

He clips the bots hip enough for it to start limping.

That’s the disappointed look Shiro gave him when he threatened to take on Zarkon himself. 

A swing and one legs gone, a clean cut.

That’s his lion being hurdled off with out him, nearly lost if it weren’t for Lance shooting after it in his own lion.

The head gets the chop, it takes a couple of tries until it crashes to the floor.

That’s him nearly dying for nothing.

He stabs his sword through where the bots heart would be if it were human.

That’s Lance being a self sacrificing beautiful bastard.

Keith didn’t notice anyone in the room with him until he feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Keith..” Lance starts but Keith cuts him off by dragging him in for a hug. Lance stiffens at first but then practically melts into it.

Keith cries.

He’s not sad, he’s not happy he just needs to cry.

Lance doesn’t say anything just rubs soothing circles into Keith’s back like he understands.

Like he cares.

Lance shouldn’t care about Keith but Lance does.

Because he’s Lance.

And Keith loves him so much it hurts.  


It stings.

 **#**  


The last person Keith expects knocking at his bedroom door is Shiro.

Actually the only person Keith expects at his bedroom door is Lance who had a tendency to show up at Keith’s and declare that it’s “Sleepover night bitch, don’t forget to pack your mullets sleeping bag”.

“Shiro what’s wrong?” Keith asked, fearing the worst. Shiro gave him a reassuring smile.

“Nothing’s wrong, come take a walk with me. We need to talk” He said.

Something was wrong.

Keith looked down at his pyjama bottoms (they weren’t originally his but Lance said he could keep them).

“It’ll be quick” Shiro promised.

Now something was definitely wrong but there’s wasn’t really much of choice either.

Keith and Shiro walked a short distance in tense silence before Shiro finally spoke.

“Look, as your team leader I feel like you should know that no matter what you can talk to me about anything okay. Even if that includes another team member” Shiro says not looking down at Keith.

Keith heart runs cold.

“Am I that obvious?” Keith asks, voice slightly higher than he would have liked.

“To everyone but Lance” Shiro replies and Keith relaxes minutely but embarrassment overtakes him soon enough.

“I appreciate the offer Shiro but I’m not talking to you about my big gay feelings for Lance” Keith tells him, crossing his arms defensively, hoping his cheeks aren’t as red as they feel.

Shiro looks pained for a moment but then sighs. “I’m just… I’m here if you need me okay. Lance isn’t the most sensitive person in the world, he might hurt you without realizing. So if you need someone to talk to..”

“You’re here” Keith finishes for him. Shiro gives him a soft fatherly smile - it’s weird to think he’s only a few years older than them.

“Thanks Shiro”

“No problem. Oh - and Keith”

“Yes?”

“Don’t break Lance’s heart either. You’ll bottle it up but he’ll be insufferably loud about it”

Keith walked back to his room feeling both embarrassed and something .. Something new that seems a little scarily like hope.  


**#**  


They’re safe. They won and they’re safe. Keith almost flings himself out of his lion after the battle. Too giddy with victory and relief to care about how banged up he is.

It had been 10 to 1 odds and they won. They won beautifully. Their team work had been on point throughout the fight and they came out on top.

Keith’s so happy he could.. He could …

He meets Lance as he’s coming out of lion and lays one on him.

Because Keith is so happy he could kiss someone and there’s really only one person he’d like to kiss.

He pulls away with horror when he realizes what he’s done. At least he tries to but arms come up around and hold him firm.

“Nope, no you do not get takesies backsies” Lance declared before dragging Keith back in for another kiss.

Keith goes pliant against Lances mouth and while it’s a sloppy and directionless first kiss it’s still a pretty damn good one.

Hands comb in his hair and he dares to shift his hand down to grip Lance’s ass.

He gets rewarded with a very pleasing sound for his bravery.

“As happy as we are for you guys finally getting your shit together, come on we gotta go!” Hunk says interrupting them.

With a lot of hesitance Keith pulls away  from Lance who whines and tries to chase his lips which holy shit is the hottest thing Keith could imagine. His brain short circuits and he nearly just about dives in for another kiss but Lance pulls away before he can.

“We’re not done here Mullet Man - not even close” He says and pecks Keith’s lips just once more before running off to help Hunk.

Keith doesn’t watch him go this time.

This time he chases after him.

**Author's Note:**

> first voltron fic woo.  
> Alternative: Chasing Butterflies.  
> I hope you like and enjoyed this. Leave kudos or comments if you did - it would me the world to me.  
> Hit me up on Tumblr I'm @bathildahotshot  
> I love my smol gay son and my tol bi boy.


End file.
